Patient with third-generation heart pump device transplant passed “1000 days of maintenance period” for the first time in Korea

Heart Failure/Transplantation Team of Heart Vascular Stroke Institute at Samsung Medical Center reported that a patient who had received a third-generation left ventricular assist device (LVAD) at 76 years old in September 2016 had 1000 days of maintaining the device. Currently, the corresponding patient is doing well without any complication.

A type of an artificial heart, LVAD is a mechanical device that pumps blood, which enters the left ventricle into the aorta and every part of the body instead of the heart. The device is used for patients who need to wait a long time for heart transplantation or those who cannot receive such a procedure.

An artificial heart is primarily for extending the life of a patient with one to two years of stable temporary maintenance. Furthermore, for an elderly patient, receiving heart transplantation is difficult; hence, maintaining an artificial heart stably at least for two years is important.

Even a patient who received second-generation artificial heart transplantation at 75 years old in 2012 has maintained the artificial heart for seven years.

Meanwhile, at Samsung Medical Center, the second- and third-generation artificial heart transplantation and minimally invasive transplantation were successfully performed for the first time in Korea. In addition, Samsung Medical Center is leading Korea’s artificial heart transplantation by performing surgery on the eldest patient in Korea, having the longest maintenance period, etc.

Patients‘ Rights and Responsibilities

Patients’ Rights

1. Right to receive medical care

Patients have the right to receive proper medical and nursing services for their Health Protection and
Promotion and they will not be discriminated for gender, age, religion, status, nationality, language, race,
or physical/mental/financial circumstances nor be violated of their health. Medical team may not deny medical care
without justifiable reason.

2. Right to be informed & autonomous decision

Patients have the right to receive be well-informed and to inquire in detail about the treating physician’s
specialty, status of their disease, purpose of the treatment, treatment plan, method, expected results and side
effects of the treatment, discharge plan, medical cost, whether or not they are a subject to medical research,
organ transplant/donation and etc, and to decide whether to give consent. Patients may stop or deny specific
treatment or planned medical care within the ethical guideline and may decide on an alternative treatment.

3. Right to have confidentiality

Patients will not be violated of their rights to confidentiality regarding their physical/health status and privacy.
Medical team and facility may not reveal or announce patient’s confidential information, including personal information,
unless patient has gives consent or specified in the law, such as criminal investigation.

4. Right to request for consultation and mediation

Patients may request for consultation and mediation from an internal or external agency
(Korea Consumer Agency, Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency) in the event of any medical dispute.

5. Right to be respected of values or beliefs

Patients will not be discriminated for their culture, religious values or beliefs, and their rights will not be violated.

6. Right to be physically protected and to have stability of mind and bod

Patients have the right to be protected from possible danger in the hospital and to have the stability of mind and body.

Patients’ Responsibilities

1. Responsible to trust and respect the medical team

Patients must accurately inform the medical team of their health condition, trust and respect the medical team’s treatment plan. Patients may be responsible for consequences which results from not following the instruction.

2. Responsible to not use dishonest method for medical treatment

Patients must reveal their identity before receiving any medical care and must not use false or dishonest method, such as receiving medical case under disguised ownership.

3. Responsible to abide by all hospital regulations

Patients must abide by all hospital regulations, respect hospital staff and other patients, and earnestly fulfillthe financial obligation to the hospital